Envelop-sealing machine.



' No, 694,966. 4 Patented Mar. H, I902.

A. HEYDBIBH.

'ENVELFJP SEALING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 18. 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

W: mums FETEfl$ :04 PH-aroumc WASHINGTON. n c.

No. 694,966. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

A. HEYqmcu. ENVELUP SEALING MACHINE.

' (Application filadApr. 18, 190i.) I 7 (No Model.) 4 Shuts-Sheet 2.

Wt tweaoeo E W 47K Patented Mar. ll, I902 A; HEYDRICR ENVELOP'S'EIALING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 18. 1901.)

(No Model.)

4 sheets-Sheet a.

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No. 694,966. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

' A. HEYDRICH.

ENVELOP S EALINE MACHINE.

(Application filed. Apr. 18. 1901.} (Ho llodell) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

ALFRED HEYDRIOH, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

ENVELOP-SEALING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,966, dated March 11, 1902.

Application filed April 18, 1901. Serial No. 56.401- (No model.)

' T aZZ whom it nmy. concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED HEYDRICH, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Sealing Machines, of which the following is a specifica-.

tion.

My invention relates to machines for seal-.

ing envelops, and has for its object to produce a machine which will eficiently seal en-v velops in a manner both rapid and certain. 1

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one example of a machine in which my invention is embodied. V

The invention consists in the special matters hereinafter set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva tion of an envelop-sealing machine whichis shown by way of example'as one form of ma chine in which my invention may be embodied. Fig. 2 is aplanviewof the machine. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the machine on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the view showing the partsin the positions which they assume when the moistening mechanism isbeing brought into action. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 i of Fig. 2 and shows the pressing or sealing rollers in action, and Fig. 5 is a broken-away perspective view of another form of moistening-roller in which a sectional roller takes the place of the single roller shown in the other figures.

shelf or table 3 is carried upon suitable arms 4, which are pivoted at 5 and are normally held in their elevated positions (shown in Fig. 1) byaspring 6. The tables 2 and 3 constitute together a table adapted to receive an envelop; but I wish to have it understood that when I use these termsI do not mean to thereby limit myself to a two-part table one part of which has a swinging motion. The

arms i also support a suitable moistening device, shown in the present instance as a plate 7, faced with felt or other capillary substance 8, which dips beneath the surface of water in a'trough or box 9.

The parts just described. constitute the means for supporting and for moistening the envelop. The remaining portion of the machine, consisting of suitable sealing-rollers and a pressure device for the .moistening apparatus, willnow be described.

At each side of the machine are suitable brackets 10, in each of which is pivoted an arm 11, and each arm is forked at its upper end, the two members of each fork being joined at the top by a cross-bar 12. Jour= naled in these arms are sealing-rollers, consisting of a driving-roller 13 and a roller 14, driven by frictional contact therewith. The roller 14: receives its motion as follows: The ratchet-wheel 15 on the roller-shaft is engaged by a pawl 16, carried by a disk 17, which disk 17 receives motion from a gearwheel 18, meshing with a gear-wheel19,which in turn meshes with a toothed are 20, held stationary on the side pieces or brackets 10. A- handle 21 or other suitable operating apparatus maybe provided for swinging the arms 11 on their pivots 11, and suitable abutments or other suitable operating means 22 may be provided for contacting ,with the swinging section 3 of theenvelop-re'ceiving table in order to swing the same out of the way, so that the sealing-rollers may grip the envelop. The arms ;11 areap'rovided with suitable springs 23 to restore them to their initial positions.

Rising frointhe base 1 are suitable standards 24, in which is pivoted a frame 25, having cross-bars 26, inxwhich slide-reciprocating bolts 27, which are impelled forward by springs 28 and are connected at their front ends by a suitable pressure roller or device 29, which pressure roller or device is adapted to contact with the flap of the envelop to press the same firmly against the moisteningpad. The front end of theframe 25 issuepended by suitable links 84, which are pivoted at one end to the frame 25 and at the other end to the arms 11. The tension of the springs 28 can be efi'iciently regulated by the regulating-stem 30, which is screw-threaded at its lower end into a cross-bar 31 and serves to adjust the cross-bar by its rotation. The stem is turned by the milled head 32, so as to effect the adjustment. A much clearer view of this feature is shown in Fig. 5. In this figure the frame 25, as shown, is provided with a movable cross-bar 31, which cross-bar is adjustable by a screw-stem 30, which is tapped into the cross-bar 26. Instead of providing a pair of sliding bolts 27 and a single pressure-roller a number of sliding bolts 27 are provided, each pair of which is connected by a pressure-roller 29, and the entire phalanx operates as a single roller. The advantage of this construction is this: In making the machines in large quantities it may happen that the face of the moistening-pad and the axis of the roller 29 are not truly parallel. The effect of this may be to bring more pressure upon one portion of the envelop-flap than another, thereby sealing it imperfectly and insecurely. The springs 28 in Fig. 5 serve the same purpose as the springs 28 in the other figures.

The operation of the device is as follows: The envelop guide or gage 3 is suitably set, so that when the envelop a is placed upon the envelop-receiving table the flap 1) thereof will hang down in front of the moisteningpad. The parts 'are then in the position shown in Fig. 1. The frame containing the sealingrollers is swung toward the envelop-receiving table, and the pressure-roller 29 is brought into contact with the envelop-flap b. This is the position shown in Fig. 3. As the frame continues to swing the pressure-roller will traverse the surface of the flap and press the same against the moistening-pad, and at the same time the abutments 22 will contact with the swinging portion of the envelop-receiving table and swing the same downward, carrying with it the moistening-pad. The moistening device being now out of the way the folded edge of the envelop-flap gets inserted between the pressing-rollers and the frame is swung backward, carrying with it the envelop and holding it during its backward swing in order that the moisture may fully dissolve or soften the adhesive. On the backward stroke of the frame the pawl 16 will rattle over its ratchet and produce no movement of the sealing-rollers. Upon the forward stroke, however, the pawl will engage this ratchet and the sealing-rollers will be given a movement of rotation to press the flap down firmly and-eject the envelop upon the receiving-table 33. r

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with suitable moistening and sealing devices of a two-part envelop-receiving table, one of the said parts being mounted to swing out of the way of the sealing devices, substantially as described.

2. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with movable sealing devices of a two-part envelop-receiving table, one of the said parts being movable to swing out of the way of the sealing devices, and a moistening device carried by the movable part of the table.

3. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination of movable sealing devices, an envelop-receiving table having a stationary and a movable section, a moistening device carried by the movable section of the envelopreceiving table, and means carried by the supporting means of the sealing devices for moving the moistening device to permit the envelop to be seized by the sealing means.

4. In a machine for sealing envelops, the

combination of an envelop-receiving table, a moistenin g device, sealing devices and a pressure device for pressing the envelop-flap against the moistening device, comprising in its structure a roller device and longitudinally-moving swinging supports for the said roller device.

5. In a machine for sealing envelops,'the combination of an envelop-receiving table,- a moistening device, sealing devices and a movably-mounted pressure device including a roller for pressing the envelop-flap against the moistening device, and comprising in its structure a spring for throwing the roller forward and adjusting means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

6. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination of an envelop-receiving table comprisinga stationary section and a movable section, a moistening device carried by the movable section of said table and normally in position for moistening the flap of the envelop, sealing devices having a bodily movement to and from said table, and means op erated by the movement of the sealing devices for moving the moistening device out of the path of the sealing devices.

7. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination of an envelop-receiving table, a movable moistening device, a sealing device having a bodily movement, and a pressure device movable across the moistening device and operatively connected to the sealing device, whereby, upon movement of the sealing device, the pressure device will be caused to traverse the envelop-flap, combined with means for moving the moistening device by the movement of the sealing device in harmony with the movement of the pressing de vice.

8. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with a table for receiving envelops having a swinging part, a swinging carrier,

envelop-sealing devices carried by the said carrier, a moistening device carried by the supports for the swinging part of the table, and a pressing device pivotally carried independently of the support for the sealing device and pivotally connected to the said support for the sealing device, said pressing device being arranged to press the envelop-flap against the nioisteni'ng device, substantially .bination of a moistening-pad, of a pressing 10 as described for the purposes set forth. device movable bodily across the said pad 9. A pressing device for pressing the flap and comprising in its structure a spring- .of an envelop against a moistening-pad, compressed roller device and means for adj 11st 5 prising in its structure a phalanx of rollers ing the spring tension thereof.

of less width than the width of the meisten- ALFRED HEYDRICH. ing-pad, and a spring-pressed carrying means Witnesses for the said rollers. GEO. ELMORE,

10. In an envelop-sealing machine,the com- CHARLES E. SMITH. 

